A man set himself on fire in front of the United States Supreme Court building

One person set himself on fire this Friday in front of the United States Supreme Court, prompting the intervention of the authorities, who transferred him to a local hospital, official sources reported.

The Supreme Court Police, located in front of the Capitol in the US capital, did not give details about the identity of the person, his possible motivation or the state of health in which he is.

The event occurred around 18:30 local time, when a person approached the square in front of the Supreme Court and set himself on fire, the Supreme Police said in a statement provided to several local media.

Officers in the area responded to the accident and a medicalized helicopter transported the injured person to a local hospital, according to the note.

“The area is still closed to continue the investigation, but this is not a public safety problem,” said the court police, stressing that there is no threat in the area.

The incident took place about three hours after a shooting caused chaos in another part of Washington, in the wealthy Van Ness neighborhood in the northwest of the US capital.

Deputy Police Chief Stuart Emerman said three people had been taken to the hospital: two adults who were in critical but stable condition and a 12-year-old girl with a minor gunshot wound. Another individual with a scratch wound on his back was treated at the scene, Emerman added.

“The suspect we believe is responsible for this has already passed away,” Washington Police Chief Robert Contee said at a news conference Friday night.

He said the alleged shooter took his own life when police officers broke into the apartment on the fifth floor where he was and found a “type of sniper with a tripod”.

While the reason is not yet known, “his intention was obviously to kill and injure members of our community,” Contee added.

Dozens of police officers attended the scene of the shooting, near Connecticut Avenue, in Washington's Van Ness neighborhood. The incident was just down the street from Howard University School of Law.

Several agents of the tactical team escorted a group of people out of an apartment building. Officers pointed their rifles upwards towards other buildings and windows, while people moved quickly down the street with their hands raised above their heads.

(With information from EFE)

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